Eni and Progressive Energy have signed an agreement to further accelerate carbon capture and storage (CCS) within the HyNet North West low-carbon cluster project in the UK.
HyNet North West
Photo: HyNet
Under the agreement, Eni will develop and operate both the onshore and offshore transportation and storage of CO2 in their Liverpool Bay assets, whilst Progressive Energy will lead and coordinate the capture and hydrogen aspects of the project on behalf of Hynet North West, thereby linking together the sources of CO2 emissions to Eni’s transportation and storage infrastructure.
The agreement is a key milestone for the nationally important project. Driving forward the clean fuel transition, HyNet North West will substantially reduce CO2 emissions and create new green jobs across the North West of England and North Wales, both through the capture and storage of emissions from industry (the element Eni is participating in and leading) and through the supply of low carbon hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels.
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The HyNet project is essential for UK Government to achieve several objectives within its recently announced 10-Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, as well as the local net-zero targets of Cheshire West & Chester in 2045, Liverpool City Region in 2040 and Greater Manchester in 2038.
This agreement is the latest in a run of important milestones for HyNet North West partners as they work to transform the North West into the world’s first low carbon cluster.
Philip Hemmens, Eni’s Head of North Europe Region Management said:“Our agreement with Progressive Energy is a critical part of the efforts being made through HyNet North West. Taking advantage of the unique location of our Liverpool Bay infrastructure, next to the industrial heartlands of the North West and North Wales, HyNet will transform one of the most energy-intensive industrial districts in the UK into the world’s first low carbon industrial cluster. It will play a crucial role in the target of Net-Zero emissions at 2050."
"The project is fully aligned with Eni’s commitment to the energy transition, decarbonisation and the circular economy. It will help to ensure that we can play our part in the UK Net Zero targets, delivering value through the re-use of our Liverpool Bay infrastructure for CO2 storage”.
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David Parkin, Director of Progressive Energy and HyNet NW Project Director, said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached yet another important milestone in the development of the HyNet North West low carbon cluster. HyNet is the region’s route to the decarbonising of its industry, from as soon as 2025. It will create the UK’s first low carbon cluster shaping the region’s future as a leader in green growth and clean industrial innovation.”
HyNet North West is a significant clean growth opportunity for the UK. It is a low cost, deliverable project which meets the major challenges of reducing carbon emissions from industry, domestic heat and transport.
HyNet North West is based on the production of hydrogen from natural gas. It includes the development of a new hydrogen pipeline, and the creation of the UK’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure. CCS is seen as a vital technology to achieve the widespread emissions savings needed to meet the 2050 carbon reduction targets.
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Accelerating the development and deployment of hydrogen technologies and CCS through HyNet North West positions the UK strongly for skills export in a global low carbon economy.
The North West is ideally placed to lead HyNet. The region has a history of bold innovation, and today, clean energy initiatives are thriving. On a practical level, the concentration of industry, existing technical skill base and unique geology mean the region offers an unparalleled opportunity for a project of this kind.
The new infrastructure built by HyNet is readily extendable beyond the initial project, and provides a replicable model for similar programmes across the UK.
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